Time Magazine’s 2011 Person of the Year is The Protester. It could just as well have been the fans of the Cleveland Browns. We should be protesting. What was once one of the greatest franchises in all of professional sports has been the worst since reentering the NFL (OK, perhaps their failure is matched by the Columbus Blue Jackets, but the Blue Jackets have no other history and no one cares about hockey).
As we complete another season of playing for great draft picks, it is time to look at what went right and what went wrong.
What went right? Well, let’s think about that. Colt McCoy gave his all. Joe Thomas is still great on the left side of the offensive line. Phil Dawson is a very good place kicker. Joe Haden is a shutdown DB. And most of the defense played well most of the time. Can you think of anything else? Be honest. Nope. There is nothing else. No big time, big money receivers. No points. No division wins.
What went wrong?
Where the heck do you start? What about the receiver they drafted who could not catch a ball in college -Greg Little catches like a third grader. When the drops per game would reach five, I would stop counting. I could find other ways to be depressed.
What about the superstar, part-time running back? You know, Peyton Hillis who chose not to play most of the first half of the season because of injuries, strep throat and a bad agent. In what town is he playing next year? It won’t be Cleveland.
People are asking now if Colt McCoy is the long-term answer at QB. That question is ridiculous. He has never had a real chance to perform because an NFL quarterback cannot perform in the horizontal position. Evaluate him after a season he spends vertical, looking down the field instead of eating it. If management does not like his arm, they should have disliked it before he was drafted. His arm now is the same as it was at Texas.
The Browns have a way to go to make the playoffs. But, with a good defense as a start, they are closer to the playoffs than their record appears. Here is what they need to do:
1. Get a playmaking receiver. A big, quick player who can catch the ball would make a world of difference. McCoy needs someone to be his target.
2. Even if they keep Hillis, they still need another running back. The wear and tear on a running back requires an NFL team to have two quality players at this position.
3. Develop depth on the offensive line. They are strong at left tackle and center. The other starters on the line are good, but not outstanding. The backups are weak. If any of the starters get hurt, so does McCoy. The Browns must add depth.
Let’s see what they do on draft day. WIth two picks in the first round, they should get off to a strong start as we look toward the 2012 season.